scholarly journals The long noncoding RNA Synage regulates synapse stability and neuronal function in the cerebellum

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fei Wang ◽  
Qianqian Wang ◽  
Baowei Liu ◽  
Lisheng Mei ◽  
Sisi Ma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Noncoding Rna ◽  
Cerebellar Atrophy ◽  
Synaptic Activity ◽  
Motor Dysfunction ◽  
Cerebellar Development ◽  
Full Spectrum ◽  
Density Reduction ◽  
Adult Mice ◽  
Synapse Density ◽  
And Function

AbstractThe brain is known to express many long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs); however, whether and how these lncRNAs function in modulating synaptic stability remains unclear. Here, we report a cerebellum highly expressed lncRNA, Synage, regulating synaptic stability via at least two mechanisms. One is through the function of Synage as a sponge for the microRNA miR-325-3p, to regulate expression of the known cerebellar synapse organizer Cbln1. The other function is to serve as a scaffold for organizing the assembly of the LRP1-HSP90AA1-PSD-95 complex in PF-PC synapses. Although somewhat divergent in its mature mRNA sequence, the locus encoding Synage is positioned adjacent to the Cbln1 loci in mouse, rhesus macaque, and human, and Synage is highly expressed in the cerebella of all three species. Synage deletion causes a full-spectrum cerebellar ablation phenotype that proceeds from cerebellar atrophy, through neuron loss, on to synapse density reduction, synaptic vesicle loss, and finally to a reduction in synaptic activity during cerebellar development; these deficits are accompanied by motor dysfunction in adult mice, which can be rescued by AAV-mediated Synage overexpression from birth. Thus, our study demonstrates roles for the lncRNA Synage in regulating synaptic stability and function during cerebellar development.

scholarly journals Expression and Function of C1orf132 Long-Noncoding RNA in Breast Cancer Cell Lines and Tissues

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (13) ◽  
pp. 6768
Author(s):  
Afsaneh Malekzadeh Shafaroudi ◽  
Ali Sharifi-Zarchi ◽  
Saeid Rahmani ◽  
Nahid Nafissi ◽  
Seyed Javad Mowla ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Noncoding Rna ◽  
Breast Cancer Cell Lines ◽  
Mcf7 Cells ◽  
Migration Ability ◽  
Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Migration Assay ◽  
And Function ◽  
Distal Promoter

miR-29b2 and miR-29c play a suppressive role in breast cancer progression. C1orf132 (also named MIR29B2CHG) is the host gene for generating both microRNAs. However, the region also expresses longer transcripts with unknown functions. We employed bioinformatics and experimental approaches to decipher C1orf132 expression and function in breast cancer tissues. We also used the CRISPR/Cas9 technique to excise a predicted C1orf132 distal promoter and followed the behavior of the edited cells by real-time PCR, flow cytometry, migration assay, and RNA-seq techniques. We observed that C1orf132 long transcript is significantly downregulated in triple-negative breast cancer. We also identified a promoter for the longer transcripts of C1orf132 whose functionality was demonstrated by transfecting MCF7 cells with a C1orf132 promoter-GFP construct. Knocking-out the promoter by means of CRISPR/Cas9 revealed no alterations in the expression of the neighboring genes CD46 and CD34, while the expression of miR-29c was reduced by half. Furthermore, the promoter knockout elevated the migration ability of the edited cells. RNA sequencing revealed many up- and downregulated genes involved in various cellular pathways, including epithelial to mesenchymal transition and mammary gland development pathways. Altogether, we are reporting here the existence of an additional/distal promoter with an enhancer effect on miR-29 generation and an inhibitory effect on cell migration.

scholarly journals Impaired developmental microglial pruning of excitatory synapses on CRH-expressing hypothalamic neurons exacerbates stress responses throughout life

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica L Bolton ◽  
Annabel K Short ◽  
Shivashankar Othy ◽  
Cassandra L Kooiker ◽  
Manlin Shao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stress Responses ◽  
Life Stress ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Early Life Stress ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Excitatory Synapses ◽  
Process Dynamics ◽  
Brain Circuits ◽  
Synapse Density ◽  
And Function

The developmental origins of stress-related mental illnesses are well-established, and early-life stress/adversity (ELA) is an important risk factor. However, it is unclear how ELA impacts the maturation of salient brain circuits, provoking enduring vulnerability to stress and stress-related disorders. Here we find that ELA increases the number and function of excitatory synapses onto stress-sensitive hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH)-expressing neurons, and implicate disrupted synapse pruning by microglia as a key mechanism. Microglial process dynamics on live imaging, and engulfment of synaptic elements by microglia, were both attenuated in ELA mice, associated with deficient signaling of the microglial phagocytic receptor Mer. Accordingly, selective chemogenetic activation of ELA microglia increased microglial process dynamics and reduced excitatory synapse density to control levels. Selective early-life microglial activation also mitigated the adrenal hypertrophy and prolonged stress responses in adult ELA mice, establishing microglial actions during development as powerful contributors to experience-dependent sculpting of stress-related brain circuits.

scholarly journals Adult medial habenula neurons require GDNF receptor GFRα1 for synaptic stability and function

PLoS Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (11) ◽  
pp. e3001350
Author(s):  
Diana Fernández-Suárez ◽  
Favio A. Krapacher ◽  
Katarzyna Pietrajtis ◽  
Annika Andersson ◽  
Lilian Kisiswa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Synaptic Plasticity ◽  
Proximity Ligation Assay ◽  
Glutamatergic Synapses ◽  
Proximity Ligation ◽  
Postsynaptic Currents ◽  
Adult Mice ◽  
Medial Habenula ◽  
Factor Receptor Alpha ◽  
And Function ◽  
Anxiety And Fear

The medial habenula (mHb) is an understudied small brain nucleus linking forebrain and midbrain structures controlling anxiety and fear behaviors. The mechanisms that maintain the structural and functional integrity of mHb neurons and their synapses remain unknown. Using spatiotemporally controlled Cre-mediated recombination in adult mice, we found that the glial cell–derived neurotrophic factor receptor alpha 1 (GFRα1) is required in adult mHb neurons for synaptic stability and function. mHb neurons express some of the highest levels of GFRα1 in the mouse brain, and acute ablation of GFRα1 results in loss of septohabenular and habenulointerpeduncular glutamatergic synapses, with the remaining synapses displaying reduced numbers of presynaptic vesicles. Chemo- and optogenetic studies in mice lacking GFRα1 revealed impaired circuit connectivity, reduced AMPA receptor postsynaptic currents, and abnormally low rectification index (R.I.) of AMPARs, suggesting reduced Ca2+ permeability. Further biochemical and proximity ligation assay (PLA) studies defined the presence of GluA1/GluA2 (Ca2+ impermeable) as well as GluA1/GluA4 (Ca2+ permeable) AMPAR complexes in mHb neurons, as well as clear differences in the levels and association of AMPAR subunits with mHb neurons lacking GFRα1. Finally, acute loss of GFRα1 in adult mHb neurons reduced anxiety-like behavior and potentiated context-based fear responses, phenocopying the effects of lesions to septal projections to the mHb. These results uncover an unexpected function for GFRα1 in the maintenance and function of adult glutamatergic synapses and reveal a potential new mechanism for regulating synaptic plasticity in the septohabenulointerpeduncular pathway and attuning of anxiety and fear behaviors.

scholarly journals Spatial and single-cell transcriptional landscape of human cerebellar development

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimberly A. Aldinger ◽  
Zach Thomson ◽  
Parthiv Haldipur ◽  
Mei Deng ◽  
Andrew E. Timms ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Single Cell ◽  
Emotional Regulation ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Molecular Organization ◽  
Cerebellar Development ◽  
Disease Genes ◽  
Spatially Resolved ◽  
Human Cerebellum ◽  
Spatial Composition ◽  
And Function

ABSTRACTCerebellar development and function require precise regulation of molecular and cellular programs to coordinate motor functions and integrate network signals required for cognition and emotional regulation. However, molecular understanding of human cerebellar development is limited. Here, we combined spatially resolved and single-cell transcriptomics to systematically map the molecular, cellular, and spatial composition of early and mid-gestational human cerebellum. This enabled us to transcriptionally profile major cell types and examine the dynamics of gene expression within cell types and lineages across development. The resulting ‘Developmental Cell Atlas of the Human Cerebellum’ demonstrates that the molecular organization of the cerebellar anlage reflects cytoarchitecturally distinct regions and developmentally transient cell types that are insufficiently captured in bulk transcriptional profiles. By mapping disease genes onto cell types, we implicate the dysregulation of specific cerebellar cell types, especially Purkinje cells, in pediatric and adult neurological disorders. These data provide a critical resource for understanding human cerebellar development with implications for the cellular basis of cerebellar diseases.

scholarly journals Fragile X syndrome patient-derived neurons developing in the mouse brain show FMR1 -dependent phenotypes

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marine A Krzisch ◽  
Hao A Wu ◽  
Bingbing Yuan ◽  
Troy W. Whitfield ◽  
X. Shawn Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fragile X Syndrome ◽  
Neuronal Development ◽  
Fragile X ◽  
In Vitro Models ◽  
Synaptic Activity ◽  
Human Neurons ◽  
Induced Pluripotent ◽  
And Function ◽  
The Brain

Abnormal neuronal development in Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is poorly understood. Data on FXS patients remain scarce and FXS animal models have failed to yield successful therapies. In vitro models do not fully recapitulate the morphology and function of human neurons. Here, we co-injected neural precursor cells (NPCs) from FXS patient-derived and corrected isogenic control induced pluripotent stem cells into the brain of neonatal immune-deprived mice. The transplanted cells populated the brain and a proportion differentiated into neurons and glial cells. Single-cell RNA sequencing of transplanted cells revealed upregulated excitatory synaptic transmission and neuronal differentiation pathways in FXS neurons. Immunofluorescence analyses showed accelerated maturation of FXS neurons after an initial delay. Additionally, increased percentages of Arc- and Egr1-positive FXS neurons and wider dendritic protrusions of mature FXS striatal medium spiny neurons pointed to an increase in synaptic activity and synaptic strength as compared to control. This transplantation approach provides new insights into the alterations of neuronal development in FXS by facilitating physiological development of cells in a 3D context, and could be used to test new therapeutic compounds correcting neuronal development defects in FXS.

Perinatal Inflammation Negatively Impacts Lung Structure And Function In Adult Mice

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Markus Velten ◽  
Rodney D. Britt ◽  
Kathryn M. Heyob ◽  
Trent E. Tipple ◽  
Lynette K. Rogers
Keyword(s):  
Structure And Function ◽  
Adult Mice ◽  
Lung Structure ◽  
And Function

scholarly journals Structural basis for recognition of human 7SK long noncoding RNA by the La-related protein Larp7

2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (28) ◽  
pp. E6457-E6466 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine D. Eichhorn ◽  
Yuan Yang ◽  
Lucas Repeta ◽  
Juli Feigon
Keyword(s):  
Noncoding Rna ◽  
Rna Binding ◽  
Rna Binding Proteins ◽  
Transcription Elongation ◽  
Structural Basis ◽  
Titration Calorimetry ◽  
Rna Recognition Motif ◽  
Related Protein ◽  
Binding Interface ◽  
And Function

The La and the La-related protein (LARP) superfamily is a diverse class of RNA binding proteins involved in RNA processing, folding, and function. Larp7 binds to the abundant long noncoding 7SK RNA and is required for 7SK ribonucleoprotein (RNP) assembly and function. The 7SK RNP sequesters a pool of the positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb) in an inactive state; on release, P-TEFb phosphorylates RNA Polymerase II to stimulate transcription elongation. Despite its essential role in transcription, limited structural information is available for the 7SK RNP, particularly for protein–RNA interactions. Larp7 contains an N-terminal La module that binds UUU-3′OH and a C-terminal atypical RNA recognition motif (xRRM) required for specific binding to 7SK and P-TEFb assembly. Deletion of the xRRM is linked to gastric cancer in humans. We report the 2.2-Å X-ray crystal structure of the human La-related protein group 7 (hLarp7) xRRM bound to the 7SK stem-loop 4, revealing a unique binding interface. Contributions of observed interactions to binding affinity were investigated by mutagenesis and isothermal titration calorimetry. NMR 13C spin relaxation data and comparison of free xRRM, RNA, and xRRM–RNA structures show that the xRRM is preordered to bind a flexible loop 4. Combining structures of the hLarp7 La module and the xRRM–7SK complex presented here, we propose a structural model for Larp7 binding to the 7SK 3′ end and mechanism for 7SK RNP assembly. This work provides insight into how this domain contributes to 7SK recognition and assembly of the core 7SK RNP.

scholarly journals Sleep-wake cycles drive daily dynamics of synaptic phosphorylation

Science ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 366 (6462) ◽  
pp. eaav3617 ◽  
Author(s):  
Franziska Brüning ◽  
Sara B. Noya ◽  
Tanja Bange ◽  
Stella Koutsouli ◽  
Jan D. Rudolph ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Brain Function ◽  
Synaptic Function ◽  
Synaptic Activity ◽  
Regulation Of Transcription ◽  
Protein Abundance ◽  
Cellular Processes ◽  
Cytoskeleton Reorganization ◽  
And Function ◽  
Daily Changes ◽  
Rest Activity

The circadian clock drives daily changes of physiology, including sleep-wake cycles, through regulation of transcription, protein abundance, and function. Circadian phosphorylation controls cellular processes in peripheral organs, but little is known about its role in brain function and synaptic activity. We applied advanced quantitative phosphoproteomics to mouse forebrain synaptoneurosomes isolated across 24 hours, accurately quantifying almost 8000 phosphopeptides. Half of the synaptic phosphoproteins, including numerous kinases, had large-amplitude rhythms peaking at rest-activity and activity-rest transitions. Bioinformatic analyses revealed global temporal control of synaptic function through phosphorylation, including synaptic transmission, cytoskeleton reorganization, and excitatory/inhibitory balance. Sleep deprivation abolished 98% of all phosphorylation cycles in synaptoneurosomes, indicating that sleep-wake cycles rather than circadian signals are main drivers of synaptic phosphorylation, responding to both sleep and wake pressures.

scholarly journals Mechanism and Function of Antiviral RNA Interference in Mice

mBio ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Qingxia Han ◽  
Gang Chen ◽  
Jinyan Wang ◽  
David Jee ◽  
Wan-Xiang Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rna Interference ◽  
Rna Replication ◽  
Interferon Response ◽  
Type I ◽  
Small Interfering Rnas ◽  
Guide Rna ◽  
Argonaute 2 ◽  
Adult Mice ◽  
And Function ◽  
Nodamura Virus

ABSTRACT Distinct mammalian RNA viruses trigger Dicer-mediated production of virus-derived small-interfering RNAs (vsiRNA) and encode unrelated proteins to suppress vsiRNA biogenesis. However, the mechanism and function of the mammalian RNA interference (RNAi) response are poorly understood. Here, we characterized antiviral RNAi in a mouse model of infection with Nodamura virus (NoV), a mosquito-transmissible positive-strand RNA virus encoding a known double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-binding viral suppressor of RNAi (VSR), the B2 protein. We show that inhibition of NoV RNA replication by antiviral RNAi in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) requires Dicer-dependent vsiRNA biogenesis and Argonaute-2 slicer activity. We found that VSR-B2 of NoV enhances viral RNA replication in wild-type but not RNAi-defective MEFs such as Argonaute-2 catalytic-dead MEFs and Dicer or Argonaute-2 knockout MEFs, indicating that VSR-B2 acts mainly by suppressing antiviral RNAi in the differentiated murine cells. Consistently, VSR-B2 expression in MEFs has no detectable effect on the induction of interferon-stimulated genes or the activation of global RNA cleavages by RNase L. Moreover, we demonstrate that NoV infection of adult mice induces production of abundant vsiRNA active to guide RNA slicing by Argonaute-2. Notably, VSR-B2 suppresses the biogenesis of both vsiRNA and the slicing-competent vsiRNA-Argonaute-2 complex without detectable inhibition of Argonaute-2 slicing guided by endogenous microRNA, which dramatically enhances viral load and promotes lethal NoV infection in adult mice either intact or defective in the signaling by type I, II, and III interferons. Together, our findings suggest that the mouse RNAi response confers essential protective antiviral immunity in both the presence and absence of the interferon response. IMPORTANCE Innate immune sensing of viral nucleic acids in mammals triggers potent antiviral responses regulated by interferons known to antagonize the induction of RNA interference (RNAi) by synthetic long double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). Here, we show that Nodamura virus (NoV) infection in adult mice activates processing of the viral dsRNA replicative intermediates into small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) active to guide RNA slicing by Argonaute-2. Genetic studies demonstrate that NoV RNA replication in mouse embryonic fibroblasts is inhibited by the RNAi pathway and enhanced by the B2 viral RNAi suppressor only in RNAi-competent cells. When B2 is rendered nonexpressing or nonfunctional, the resulting mutant viruses become nonpathogenic and are cleared in adult mice either intact or defective in the signaling by type I, II, and III interferons. Our findings suggest that mouse antiviral RNAi is active and necessary for the in vivo defense against viral infection in both the presence and absence of the interferon response.

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